What Happens If the Electoral College Votes Tie?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Electoral College votes end up in a tie? It's a real possibility in this year's presidential race, with 538 votes up for grabs. After the election, electors in each state will confirm the nomination in December. But can these votes really end up tied? Dr. Chase Meyer, a political science professor at the University of South Carolina, says yes. He explains that if the 2020 electoral map remains the same, we could see a 269-269 tie. For instance, if Harris wins Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and Trump secures Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina, the focus will shift to Maine and Nebraska. In these states, electoral votes can be split based on the winner of each Congressional District. If Maine stays the same, Harris would get 3 of the 4 electoral votes, with one going to Trump. For Nebraska, if Trump flips one more seat, turning the state red, we'd see a 269-269 split.

"Things get complicated fast, " says Meyer. He points out that the House would then vote for the President, and the Senate for the Vice President. Each state gets one vote, which could lead to deadlocks if the House is evenly split, like a 25-25 tie among states. Meyer uses Montana as an example. If Democrats flip one of the state's two Republican-held seats, Montana would have one Democrat and one Republican. Unable to decide between Harris and Trump, Montana would have to abstain, bringing the Republican count down to 25. This situation could put immense pressure on Congress members to defect and vote for the other party. It might lead to weeks of debate and pressure to pick a candidate. If the House can't decide, the Senate's chosen Vice President would become the President, following the line of succession. However, Meyer warns that this too could get complicated.

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